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Post by banjo on Sept 9, 2022 15:29:00 GMT
I thought I'd dignify the passing of our Queen with a thread of her own rather than a perhaps disrespectful random disclosure. I've gone on record numerous times that I'm no monarchist as such, but I'd always issued the caveat that I had total unwavering respect for The Queen and the impeccable way that she conducted herself. I've been aware of her dwindling days for years so despite everyone else seemingly registering their "shock" at the news, it's exactly as I expected. No shock to me. What I did anticipate, and has been borne out in practise, is that I have a mental block about having to think of a king. She's always been my head of state and in my mind will continue to be so in some inexplicable fashion. Seems somehow bizarre to have to think of a "King'. No offence Charlie, I think you'll understand the sentiment. I once worked in Buckingham Palace installing extract ductwork in the kitchen (well one of the kitchens I guess) but I never met her. I remember not being allowed out to buy food, so together with my Dad's best mate (who also worked for us) we hid in a kitchen pantry that had a circular wired glass window. Inside the shelves were all stacked with trays of apfel strudel, and we crammed so much into our mouths we could not move our jaws to chew much less speak. Laugh- we were creased up hiding below the window lest the chef should see us! I saw plenty of retired military service men in red dinner jackets with preposterous moustaches propping up the numerous bars in there. Gin Slings a go-go then. Hangers-on. Paid for by me amongst millions of others. My gripe I know! Back in around 1980-81 someone I knew from CB radio days worked on the land in Home Farm (Windsor). One time he let us in and I drove around the estate in my blue Mk IV Cortina, but again I never saw her. Later in the 1980s, I was held up in the front of the queue at traffic lights where The Long Walk crosses the Old Windsor Road. ("The Straight Road" as it is known locally.) It seemed to be an inordinately long wait and there were no pedestrians waiting to cross. All of a sudden a Jaguar saloon car drove straight across through the traffic lights and on up along The Long Walk towards The Copper Horse statue, itself an imposing figure on the hill a couple of miles away in a dead straight line. It was driven by a woman wearing a head scarf and hunched up over the steering wheel staring straight ahead. "Ah!" thought I, "on her way to see mummy at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park no doubt?" That'll be my abiding memory of her. I think this ridiculous but warming image of her will also stick in my mind: youtu.be/7UfiCa244XERest in Peace Elizabeth Queen. でつ e&oe ... |
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Post by nob on Sept 10, 2022 7:10:47 GMT
Yes, RIP QEII, Charlie to be made king at 10AM today. That will be a task putting CR on everything. I don't think Charlie will be able to keep out of politics that should be interesting.
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Post by banjo on Sept 10, 2022 11:29:25 GMT
I actually wanted to call him Chas. I think I shall upon reflection, he won't mind.
"King Chas III" has a nice ring to it. Go Chas!
Since the Oirish have difficulty getting their tongue around the definite article, I suppose he'll be King Charles the Tird to them? How quaint ;<D
でつ e&oe ...
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Post by pierre on Sept 10, 2022 13:57:37 GMT
On my retirement I (surprisingly) got an invitation to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buck House.At the time there was a ban on using a camera at the event.I assume that ban has been lifted as most people have mobile phones,thereby camera access.
My wife was tempted to smuggle one in,but we agreed not to as we thought we might be watched too carefully as the "troubles" were prevalent in our neck of the woods at the time
A great day hosted by the Queen and Duke of Ed.and we did get lots of sightings close up
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Post by duyuthinkysaurus on Sept 10, 2022 15:19:48 GMT
My thoughts are with the descendants and the whole country as we mourn or nations best grandmother
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Post by egg on Sept 10, 2022 16:28:17 GMT
I foresee BIG changes.  |
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Post by nob on Sept 12, 2022 7:32:17 GMT
30 hour queue to see her coffin. I'll give it a miss.
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Post by banjo on Sept 12, 2022 8:24:35 GMT
Just like all these sort of things, my sister and her husband were onto that in a flash. Mrs. Hippy and your scribe gave it the elbow straight off the bat. Open or closed box, it's a no-no here. I was fourteen when my mum carked and that workmate (Dad's best mate from childhood) in my OP took me to see her laid out. Never again Folks. I advised SWMBO not to do the same when her mum pegged. Stubborn c*w went anyway and subsequently agreed with me, but thirty hours to look at a box and be hustled on through the out door? no fanx.
In 1975, a group of six of us queued for eight hours in a circle around Earls Court Arena to buy tickets to see Led Zeppelin and that was bad enough. In Firenza, we queued for about four hours to get into The Uffizzi, the delay was due to the Italians were having a free museums entry day. Any concept of the queue involved to kiss the Blarney Stone? (I refused from the get-go but 'Er Indoors only baulked when she saw what was involved.) So 30 hours to see a box? No fanx. That's what the one-eyed monster is for, and we shall be in Cornwall on the big day and thus have a telly for a change.
Stil 'n' all, in pace requiescat Elizabeth Regina.
でつ e&oe ...
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Post by nob on Sept 13, 2022 7:08:43 GMT
If the viewing was like in Scotland, it's a coffin covered with a flag. You get a better view on telly.
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Post by banjo on Sept 13, 2022 8:33:55 GMT
I've always wondered whether her Madge ever actually even took a driving test? I guess normal rules go out of the window with anyone who could get away with having no registration number on the motor. I suppose you could wonder that about Chas too so where do you stop? I wonder whether that blank plate might now end up on the old Aston?
Regarding the driving test generally, I know there's a sizeable number of drivers that have never taken a driving test, and some by a fortuitous twist of fate that saw them sharing a family name or two. How lucky is that? I had six lessons, seven actually but the guy "teaching" me "drove" me so hard with an avalanche of awareness questions about things that we'd already passed that I was exhausted with the concentration after about twenty minutes during that "lesson", and he had me park in a cul-de-sac whilst he disappeared into some woman's house for half an hour (!) so I never include that lesson in the tally. A life lesson I suppose.
でつ e&oe ...
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Post by nob on Sept 13, 2022 15:53:18 GMT
There was an old guy next to me a rigger on Lancs in the war who never took a driving test. He didn't need to, and you could see that as he drove. But he did drive Volvos.
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Post by jal on Sept 13, 2022 16:25:45 GMT
No seat belts were being worn by any of them while travelling and the police just ignored it. So if the Police stop you and say follow me, take your seat belt off & follow them.  |
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Post by banjo on Sept 13, 2022 21:43:42 GMT
We had a neighbour as kids and we called him "Uncle" Bill. Although we knew him as a butcher (and later a road sweeper after they made his job redundant) he had originally been a milkman and he got his ticket without passing a test through driving a milk float!
I know my Dad's twin brother had an HGV 1 that he got purely for the asking. My Dad always regretted not asking for one too. Seems hard to imagine these days. I remember when you could ride off into the sunset on a 250CC once you'd acquired a full driving licence. (I think you still can up to 125 CC?) You weren't required to wear a brain bucket back in those dark ages either. I never had a motorcycle, but just as well I guess. I figured that since you couldn't get a mattress on the back of a motorbike, it was a non-starter ...
でつ e&oe ...
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